I am pleased to send you my Session Wrap Up e-newsletter. This
e-newsletter features events and legislative activities from the Session Week of
October 24, 2016.

If you find this e-newsletter useful, I invite you to visit my website
www.senatorscotthutchinson.com for more information about your state
government. If you do not wish to receive these e-newsletters, please click the
"unsubscribe" button at the bottom of the page. If you would like to contact my
office, please go to my web page and click the "contact" button. Please do not
"reply" directly to this e-mail.

Sincerely,

Scott

Committee Reviews Updated State Wildlife Action Plan

The Joint Legislative Air & Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee,
which I Chair, met on Monday to review the updated State Wildlife Action Plan.

Legislation Advanced to Combat Opioid Addiction Crisis

Four measures addressing the state’s growing opioid addiction crisis received
final legislative approval this week and were sent to the Governor for enactment
into law.

Senate Bill 1202 requires licensed medication dispensers and
prescribers to receive two hours of continuing education in pain management or
in the prescribing practices of opioids.

Senate Bill 1367 limits the amount of opioids that children may be
prescribed, with reasonable exceptions for cases involving chronic pain, cancer
treatment or for palliative care or hospice care. It also requires a health care
professional to obtain written consent from a minor’s parent or legal guardian
to prescribe a medical treatment containing opioids, and provide information on
the risks of addiction and dangers of overdose associated with the medication.

Senate Bill 1368 implements the Safe Opioid Prescribing Curriculum
in all of Pennsylvania’s medical schools. The plan calls for a focus in four key
areas including pain management; multimodal treatments for chronic pain that
minimize the use of opioids, or when opioids are indicated, to prescribe them in
a way that is safe and that follows guideline-based care; focusing on patients
who have been identified as at-risk for developing problems with prescription
opioids; and teaching medical students how to manage substance abuse disorders
as a chronic disease.

House Bill 1699 creates the Safe Emergency Prescribing Act and
limits the quantity of opioids which may be prescribed to a patient seeking
treatment in a hospital emergency department or urgent care center.

The increased use of heroin, which often has roots in the abuse of
prescription painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin, has catapulted Pennsylvania
to seventh in the nation for drug-related overdose deaths in recent federal
statistics. On average at least ten Pennsylvanians die every day from a drug
overdose, with over 3,500 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania in 2015.

According to a National Survey of Primary Care Physicians, nine out of 10
doctors reported prescription drug abuse as a moderate to large problem in their
communities, and 85 percent believed that prescription drugs are overused in
clinical practice.

In an effort to address the safe disposal of prescription medicines, the
Legislature also sent the Governor
House Bill 1737. This measure amends the Waste Tire Recycling
Act/Small Business and Household Pollution Prevention Program Act, to include
and provide for the destruction of household prescription drugs and
pharmaceutical waste.

The measure could assist in reducing abuse of prescription drugs. Operators
of some waste-to-energy plants in Pennsylvania run programs which offer free and
safe disposal, which could curb contamination of surface and drinking waters
caused by flushing drugs or placing them in a landfill.

Veterans, Emergency Responder Bills Sent to Governor

I am extremely pleased to report that six bills that benefit emergency
responders and veterans received final legislative approval this week and were
sent to the Governor’s desk for enactment into law.

House Bill 49 extends the death benefit that is currently available
to other emergency responders to members of the Pennsylvania Civil Air Patrol.

House Bill 192 requires the State Civil Service Commission to
advertise the veterans’ preference on all of the commission’s examination
materials, announcements and advertisements, and on the commission’s website.

House Bill 683, introduced by Representative Kathy Rapp, excludes
veterans’ disability payments and state veterans’ benefits from the calculation
of income that is used to determine eligibility for the Property Tax Rent/Rebate
Program.

House Bill 1600 provides an exemption for the payment of a state
business fee for a veteran-owned small business.

House Bill 1683 would authorize municipalities to enact income tax
credits for active volunteer firefighters and EMS providers. The measure is
intended to help municipalities recruit and retain these valuable volunteers.

House Bill 2058 would allow paramedics to conduct blood draws at
police stations - rather than hospitals - from persons suspected of driving
under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.

House Bill 2148 amends the Enforcement Officers Disability Benefits
Law to extend coverage to certain individuals employed as firefighters.

Bills Addressing Government Reform, Accountability
Approved

As part of the ongoing effort to increase government accountability at the
state, county and local levels, the Legislature approved government reform
measures bills providing for an independent review of state operations as well
as the appointment of special investigators in cases of wrongdoing in the state
Attorney General’s Office.

Senate Bill 898, which I introduced, amends the Second Class
County Code providing for revenue neutrality of taxes following countywide
reassessments.

Senate Bill 899, which I introduced, amends the Consolidated
County Assessment Law providing for revenue neutrality of taxes following
countywide reassessments.

House Bill 1087 provides veto power to the Governor of Pennsylvania
over the actions of Pennsylvania’s Commissioners on the Delaware River Port
Authority Board.

House Bill 1118 authorizes the appointment of a Special
Investigative Counsel to investigate the Attorney General, an Assistant Attorney
General, senior aide, or campaign chair who may have committed an offense
classified higher than a misdemeanor of the second degree, or an offense higher
than a summary involving a breach of public trust.

House Bill 1618 establishes the Office of State Inspector General
as an independent office to conduct investigations and performance reviews of
State agencies to provide increased accountability and oversight to deter and
identify waste, fraud, abuse and illegal acts.

The inspector general would serve a six-year term, be prohibited from seeking
political office during and shortly after that period, and do the important work
of eradicating waste, fraud, and abuse without political interference.

Transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft could operate safely in
every county in Pennsylvania under a bill sent to the Governor by the Senate on
Monday.

Senate Bill 984 would establish a regulatory framework for the
operation of transportation network companies throughout Pennsylvania. These
companies are currently permitted to operate in most Pennsylvania counties and
municipalities under a two-year temporary authority granted by the Pennsylvania
Public Utility Commission.

The bill would ensure transportation network companies and drivers meet key
requirements, such as maintaining proper insurance coverage, meeting vehicle
safety requirements and reporting accidents. In addition, the bill would
implement a zero tolerance policy on the use of drugs or alcohol for a driver
using the digital network and prevents individuals convicted of certain crimes,
including burglary, robbery and sexual offenses, from offering rideshare
services.

Several additional transportation-related bills also received final approval
this week.

House Bill 2025 increases the penalty for texting while driving
accidents that result in a severe injury or death, provides for a 60-day
registration card for an “in–transit” vehicle or a vehicle acquired in
Pennsylvania for transportation to another state, and allows the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation to impose fines on inspection stations and/or
inspection mechanics for noncompliance in certain cases.

House Bill 2290 amends the Board of Wardens for the Port of
Philadelphia Act (Act 156 of 1803) to increase the license/renewal fee that
pilots pay to the Navigation Commission from $250 to $400.

House Bill 2291 amends a supplementary act to the Board of Wardens
for the Port of Philadelphia Act (Act 210 of 1889) to increase rates of pilotage
and computation of pilotage fees.

Economic Development, Business, Community Improvement
Bills Approved

The Legislature gave final approval to a number of bills intended to spur
economic growth, assist businesses and employees, and help local communities.
The bills are now headed to the Governor’s desk.

House Bill 245 amends the Local Tax Enabling Act to clarify certain
provisions related to the consolidated collection of local income taxes and
delinquent taxes.

Senate Bill 356 amends the Local Tax Enabling Act to further
provide for filings and quarterly payments of the local earned income tax by
persons who make their living from farming.

Senate Bill 486 would give counties the option to levy an
additional fee on deeds and mortgages recorded in the Recorder of Deeds office.
The new revenue would be used exclusively for demolition funding within that
specific county.

Senate Bill 613 gives each of Pennsylvania’s counties the
opportunity to participate in the Human Services Development Block Grant by
removing the statutory limit.

House Bill 850 amends the Money Transmission Licensing Law of 1965
to modernize the law and update certain licensing provisions.

Senate Bill 881 amends the definition of “public utility” in state
statute to provide an exception for a resort offering water or sewer services to
private homes who take service at a point within the property boundaries of the
resort.

House Bill 1398 amends Title 15 (Corporations and Unincorporated
Associations) and Title 54 (Names) to modernize the laws on limited liability
partnerships, general partnerships, limited partnerships and limited liability
companies.

House Bill 1437 reduces from 18 to 12 months the period that the
purchaser of a building or structure with substantial violations of municipal
codes has to bring it into compliance or demolish it.

House Bill 1653 provides for the recognition of diverse and
disadvantaged businesses by the Department of General Services.

House Bill 2303 repeals the Race Horse Industry Reform article in
the Administrative Code, inserts it in the Agriculture Code and provides for
Breeding Fund awards.

House Bill 2370 amends the Tax Reform Code of 1971 by further
providing for the applicability of realty transfer tax exclusion provisions
enacted as part of Act 84 of 2016.

Legislature Approves Firearms, Public Safety Measures

Several bills addressing firearms or crime issues were approved by the
General Assembly this week and sent to the Governor for enactment.

House Bill 263 removes the restriction on air, chemical or gas
cylinder powered firearms for hunting. This bill does not automatically allow
the use of such weapons for any particular species, but rather gives the
Pennsylvania Game Commission regulatory authority to permit the use of such
weapons. The bill was amended in the Senate with the language of
Senate Bill 737, a bill I introduced, that permits the limited use
of semi-automatic sporting rifles for hunting in accordance with regulations of
the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Senate Bill 1311 brings Pennsylvania into compliance with federal
requirements under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act by addressing
parents who have committed child sexual abuse and the treatment of children
victimized by human trafficking.

House Bill 1496 amends the Crimes Code to increase penalties for
possession of firearm by a convicted felon.

House Bill 1538 addresses the release of law enforcement officer
information in cases involving the discharge of a firearm or use of force.

House Bill 2084 would require the Department of Corrections to
issue pepper spray on a routine basis to any officer or employee of the
Department who may be called upon to respond to an emergency situation.

Education Bills Sent to Governor

Among the measures receiving final legislative approval this week were
several bills addressing education-related issues.

House Bill 1864 amends the Cosmetology Law to clarify that
cosmetology schools are permitted to charge the public a reasonable fee for
student practice.

House Bill 1907 makes extensive revisions to the Public School Code
concerning compulsory attendance and truancy, including changes to definitions,
procedures, and penalties. It also creates a new section concerning the
establishment of attendance policies at charter, regional charter, and cyber
charter schools.

House Bill 2078 amends the Public School Code concerning the
issuance of permanent college certificates, continuing professional education,
and the professional educator discipline fee.

House Bill 2338 provides for student protection during the
transition of a postsecondary education institution to a new accreditor if the
United States Department of Education discontinues its recognition of the
institution’s national accrediting agency.

Six Health, Insurance Bills sent to the Governor

Six bills addressing health or insurance were sent to the Governor this week.

House Bill 162 would provide an adult adoptee with access to a
noncertified copy of his or her original birth record information from the
Department of Health without the consent of the birth parents and allows for
redaction of birth parent names from a birth record.

House Bill 516 establishes the Naturopathic Doctors Practice Act
and requires the licensure of naturopathic doctors with the State Board of
Medicine.

House Bill 946 provides a framework for pharmacy benefit managers
and other entities -- such as managed care organizations, third-party payers, or
governmental health programs -- to conduct audits within a pharmacy.

House Bill 1403 addresses unclaimed life insurance
benefits. The bill would require an insurer to compare its insureds' in-force
life insurance policies, contracts and retained asset accounts against the
Social Security Administration's Death Master File or any other database or
service that is at least as comprehensive for determining whether an individual
has died.

House Bill 2241 provides for limitations for retroactive denial of reimbursements. The bill
restricts the amount of time an insurer has to retroactively deny reimbursement
to a health care provider to 24 months and requires retroactive denial of
reimbursements to be based upon coding guidelines and policies in effect at the
time the service subject to the denial was rendered.